Riding the Wave

Sometimes American artists need to go across the pond to be properly appreciated — it happened with countless jazz musicians, with Kid Creole, and now it’s happening with Seasick Steve. The 67-year-old bluesman, whose real name is Steve Wold, has a past shrouded in mystery. Born in California in the early forties, he claims to have learned to play the guitar from K. C. Douglas, lived as a hobo, and worked as a carny. For the last few years he has been a revered artist in Britain, where American bluesmen have always been part of the country’s rock-and-roll mythology. In 2007, he won the Mojo Award for best breakthrough act and immediately became a sensation on the festival circuit, where his stripped-down electric blues drove crowds into an authenticity-appreciating frenzy.

Steve’s newest album, “I Started Out With Nothin’ and I’ve Still Got Most of It Left,” was released in September and has become a big hit in Britain. Steve has announced plans to collaborate with Jack White, and was even nominated for a Brit Award for Best International Male Solo Artist, the oldest man ever to receive a nomination. Below, he performs on Jools Holland’s “Later.”

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